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They talked about Bernie Sanders. Indeed, they talked up Bernie Sanders.

The crowd at the Democratic National Convention, which has not always cheered in unison this week, cheered robustly when the president declared:

Democracy works, but we gotta want it—not just during an election year, but all the days in between.

So if you agree that there’s too much inequality in our economy, and too much money in our politics, we all need to be as vocal and as organized and as persistent as Bernie Sanders’ supporters have been. We all need to get out and vote for Democrats up and down the ticket, and then hold them accountable until they get the job done.

The references to Sanders came from a president and a Democratic nominee for vice president who devoted substantial portions of their speeches to hailing Hillary Clinton, the party’s nominee for president. Obama and Kaine were not objecting to the fact that Clinton beat the senator from Vermont for the nomination, and that tomorrow night she will deliver her acceptance speech.

“That’s right: Feel the burn!” —President Obama at the Democratic National Convention

Obama and Kaine know that Sanders accomplished something this year.

They are certainly aware that recognizing this accomplishment could help in the work of pulling together a party that is still struggling to achieve unity.

Kaine—the centrist former governor and senator from Virginia who was certainly not the first choice of most Sanders backers for the vice-presidential nomination—mentioned Sanders early in his speech. Noting that he serves on the Senate Budget Committee with Sanders, the Virginian described the Vermonter as an ally in the critical work of finding resources for education and health-care projects. When that line drew a loud cheer, Kaine ad-libbed a line that was not in his prepared text: “We all should feel the Bern and we all should not want to get burned by the other guy!”

That was one of the night’s many jabs at Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. But it was also a grasp at party unity.

What Obama and Kaine did Wednesday night was rare. Most speakers at this convention, even speakers who have for many years served in the House of Representatives and the Senate with Sanders, have failed to mention his name in their speeches to the convention. That is, of course, their rhetorical right. But it is not necessarily wise politics when so many of the delegates and alternates and guests at this convention arrived as Sanders backers.

Obama is a very wise politician, as is Kaine. Both men understand that there are a lot of people in this convention hall who would like to cheer a few more times for Bernie Sanders.

Kaine actually gave them several opportunities to cheer.

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Mixing English and Spanish, as he does so ably, Kaine said: “Hillary Clinton and I are compañeros del alma. We share this basic belief, it’s simple: Do all the good you can. Serve one another. That’s what I’m about. That’s what you’re about. That’s what Bernie Sanders is about. That’s what Joe and Jill Biden are about. That’s what Barack and Michelle Obama are about. And that’s what Hillary Clinton is about.”

Kaine put Bernie Sanders—the outsider, the insurgent, the champion of a political revolution—in the company of Clinton, the Bidens, and the Obamas.

That is a small measure of the influence Bernie Sanders has had on American politics.

A few minutes after Kaine, President Obama provided a greater measure of that influence, when he responded to cheers for his own reference to Sanders by smiling broadly and declaring: “That’s right: Feel the Bern!”

The most crucial issue is the TPP. I have written Tim
Kaine about his vote for fast track and will make sure he knows that this abomination should not stand. I can't understand Obama's support for it, unless he is under life-and-death pressure, which is not unlikely. I would not be surprised if they had threatened his family.

(5)(2)

Charles Jacobysays:

July 28, 2016 at 6:56 pm

Kaine, the Clintons, Obama all strike me as the usual hucksters now stealing from Sanders much of his campaign. Not that Hillary wasn't doing that all along. Thanks, John, but we'd prefer the real deal, the man who gets it and has workable ideas on how to fix this silly country, and not hucksters who will say anything to win over a vote. The Democratic Party doesn't need unifying; it needs an internal divorce. The reactionaries just need a hearse.

(13)(2)

Shafia Stevenssays:

July 28, 2016 at 4:29 pm

Obama has always been a great orator, he has plausible, sincere and heartfelt downpat but his actions never really endorse his word. Surely this so called Democratic party must be the most non- democratic ever. Voter fraud and suppression, proof of manipulation and dishonesty blamed on the Russians and ignored in the one place it should have been addressed and debated. Throwing a few crumbs of acknowledgement to Sanders and his supporters to secure their votes might not have the desired effect. The blanket hypocrisy is smothering. It stifles hope. At least with the Donald his hypocrisy is honest and out there. His unpredictable and blatant
bucking of the system signals
change, it might be change for the worst, but hey can it really get any worse? That feeling carried the Brexit vote. Sanders offered a saner way forward for change. Big mistake not to nominate him!

(18)(1)

Phil Johnsonsays:

July 28, 2016 at 2:22 pm

Wise, indeed. I am his age. I am sure that Bernie will exhaust his 74-year-old self in pushing HRC across the finish line after this deserved acclamation.

Even as he swallows the acid reflux rising in his gorge. What a man. We will not win the race for democracy without him.

Thank you for the gesture.

(20)(0)

Carlos Valdessays:

July 28, 2016 at 1:15 pm

I would like the Nation to report on the Bernie Sanders Supporter Chants of No War and End the Drone Wars. They started chanting that when Leon Pannetta tried to demonize Russia. I felt like so part of Bernie's revolution when I heard that. The problem with Hillary she wants cold war with Russia! Progressives have to say no and demand rational foreign policy rather than war as a perpetual state of affairs.

(27)(0)

Carolyn Herzsays:

July 28, 2016 at 11:23 am

What President Obama said may be good politics, but I will venture to suggest that he did not have only politics in mind. His words were marching orders to all of us to become involved in politics, even if we don't personally run for office, to monitor our elected officials' activities, to regularly communicate to them our opinions regarding critical issues. To me, that was the most important message of Bernie Sanders' campaign. To cite two important cliches, freedom isn't free, and democracy is a participatory sport.

(43)(0)

Bruce Grobmansays:

July 28, 2016 at 10:56 am

If the Dems truly desire "Unity", then President Obama must either repudiate the TPP, or explain how it's ISDS provisos differ from the same provisos in the NAFTA. Trump is promising to dump the TPP. Obama needs to take this threat seriously and somehow let his massive pride be swallowed by a, hopefully, voracious humility.

(39)(0)

Ben Kasparsays:

July 28, 2016 at 11:24 am

Well said. Yesterday was not the right venue for this discussion, but it needs to happen, and soon.

(13)(0)

Kenneth Lambertsays:

July 28, 2016 at 10:46 am

These words don't mean a thing, of course. As Bernie's capitulation this week shows, not even the Bern really feels the Bern. Many of his supporters and most right-thinking people to their left will not fall for any of this. As the latest DNC email disclosures show, and as anyone with half a brain should have known since the mid-1970s, the electoral system is thoroughly rigged. It's long past time to get over it, let it go, and focus all energy on working for change outside of this system.

(12)(15)

Anthony Margrafsays:

July 29, 2016 at 8:54 am

KENNETH Share your disappointment but Sanders in the light of Trump disaster did what he did, surely Sanders does not trust Hillary and as most of us believe Hillary thrives in a corrupt system in spite of her disingenuous words, lifelong liberal/ progressive, Hillary is the worst since Nixon, a war criminal

(7)(1)

Dan & K Bullard-siskensays:

July 28, 2016 at 1:48 pm

I agree that there is no reason to trust Clinton to "do the right thing." But that goes for just about any president the US could realistically elect. Were Sanders the next candidate, there would be powerful forces and incentives driving him to the center. And, as he is a pragmatic individual, he would likely make some compromises to achieve significant results in other core areas. So it's important to keep up the pressure from below no matter who is the president. Yes, as Kenneth says, working outside the system is super important, assuming what he means by the system is the formal electoral system. Social mobilization of progressive forces including media, unions, etc. is crucial in order to move our politics and economy to the left. But outside work also has to aim back inside the system. In order to make any tangible progressive gains, there will need to be legislation to end fracking (might be state by state), have a $15/hour minimum wage, provide free college tuition and forgive student loans, achieve meaningful carbon emissions reductions, and so on.

So, how does one vote in November? There are candidates up and down the ballot who are very progressive. They need our support. At the top of the ballot, I think it comes down to how you answer the following question: does it make a difference for the progressive movement whether the next president is Clinton or Trump?

Here's my thinking. I believe there is a big difference; that Trump would empower the most bigoted, reactionary forces in our society and do huge damage to the already compromised institutions of our so-called democracy. His presidency would narrow the spaces for progressive social movements while empowering the NRA, the militia movements, and the evangelical right. Those are key constituencies. Clinton will not move the ball much on her own as her compass points to the center. But an election that brings more progressive democrats into Congress will move the center to the left. On some issues, at least, she won't have a problem with that. And Bernie, Elizabeth Warren, Sherrod Brown and others will be newly empowered in Congress.

(19)(1)

Andy Moursundsays:

July 28, 2016 at 11:40 am

"﻿As Bernie's capitulation this week shows, not even the Bern really feels the Bern." Yes, they're all sellouts except me and thee. And sometimes I wonder about thee.

(19)(4)

Edward M Protassays:

July 28, 2016 at 10:36 am

The Democratic Party does not want unity, they want compliance labeled as unity. They want to win this election and will parse all the words necessary to do so. And if HRC is the next president, you can expect to see the need for unity evaporate. It will then be business as usual. The Democratic Party is as diseased as the Republican Party. Change will need to come from the outside.

(31)(10)

Richard Strawsays:

July 28, 2016 at 9:21 am

I'm tired of lip service-we got that last time-we need commitment and real action addressing at a minimum climate change-criminal justice reform-single payer health care-and debt free college. We don't need anymore consoling pats on the back we need a change in direction and the dems are giving us more of the same-in a year that has rejected that no less. She is having a hard time convincing the American people that they can trust her as it is(now tied with Trump on that issue)and then she sticks it to the progressive wing over and over again-and then demands(not ask) we support her because a "he is so much worse and I'm a woman"(so was Thatcher and Britain is still trying to dig their way out) campaign is supposed to substitute for substance. When the dems nominate someone who is not a proven war hawk with poor judgment about the consequences of their actions-have made solid commitments to addressing the national economic and environmental(not support fracking-TPP-oil extraction)crisis facing the 90% of us -then they can come see for my vote-I just don't need anymore empty words.

(42)(10)

Mark Pollocksays:

July 28, 2016 at 2:22 am

More evidence that the true winner of the Democratic primary campaign was Senator Sanders—the honest, the GENUINE, the committed, the consistent, the AUTHENTIC candidate—the DEMOCRAT, Bernie Sanders--the candidate who began polling at about 2% and ended up winning almost 45% of the primary votes and more than 20 primaries, the candidate who had a greater impact on the party platform than probably any other candidate—successful or unsuccessful—in history. Most importantly, it has been Senator Sanders and Senator Sanders alone who has reversed the trend in the Democratic party that began with the triangulation of Bill Clinton and his Democratic (sic) Leadership (sic) Council, if not earlier, of creating a moderate, “go along to get along” Republican Party Lite. As Senator Ted Kennedy enunciated: “The last thing this country needs is two Republican parties.”

(90)(8)

Ron Bernhardtsays:

July 28, 2016 at 7:30 am

That's just about what we have - when fracking gets the go ahead, single payer is a far fetched(pie in the sky notion) more and more public institutions are privatized, and TPP gets pushed through (probably with a band aid on it to make it appear that she and Kaine didn't want it), wars keep happening for profit -excepting standing up for some social issues this most progressive platform has some concessions ($15 minimum wage and the college tuition for free idea for under $125,000) it's nothing to rave about. If throwing elections and colluding with the media to defeat a progressive who awakened the masses to fight for REAL change isn't making you wary I don't know what will. Wall Street is certainly happy knowing Hillary will have their back as the looting of the treasury continues without a hitch. "Liberty and justice for all." Can't anyone see that it just doesn't exist in our plutocracy??? Blaming the Republicans just doesn't cut it. Both parties are the enemies of the working people and those in such abject poverty that it's hidden from view. My next fear is that those in power will try to restrict internet availability to the many who have given up on corporate owned propaganda (newspapers and TV) knowing that they're spinning a wild tale to keep us believing they care. Eerily, both parties resemble leaders in other countries who have fallen to the whims of greedy totalitarian regimes with how they ignore the voices of the people. Unfortunately we're running out of time due to climate change which they're not moving an inch on. The big question for me is - which of the 2 candidates will those who own both parties choose to "S"elect as our next puppet leader. Unfortunately both are disturbing choices for anybody wanting a country with hope for all it's people.